Affirm Launches Travel Payments Program and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 11/6/17

Consumers who want to use cash online can now load an Amazon Cash account at U.S. 7-Eleven Inc. stores by presenting cash and a personalized Amazon barcode to the cashier. Users can load between $15 and $500 in a single transaction, with no fees, 7-Eleven says. The company has nearly 8,000 stores in the United States.

Affirm Inc., a startup that offers financing for online transactions, announced “Travel with Affirm,” a program that lets consumers pay for hotels, airfare, and other travel expenses with monthly payments. Opening partners include Expedia, CheapAir, and Suiteness, a luxury-hotel booking service.

Grocery chain Aldi Inc.said it is working with Venmo, the peer-to-peer payment app owned by PayPal Holdings Inc., to donate 10 meals to hunger-relief organization Feeding America each time Venmo users deploy a “Turkey Hands Friendsgiving” turkey emoji in a payment message in November.

Gemalto NVlaunched SafeNet Data Protection On Demand, a centralized, cloud-based platform for companies to guard data, meet compliance mandates, and manage the security of their sensitive information in all their locations.

China-based UnionPay Internationalsaid more than 80% of U.S. local merchants now accept UnionPay credit cards, and nearly all ATMs do for cash withdrawals. UnionPay has been forging deals with U.S. merchant acquirers to expand its acceptance network in this country.

The Merchant Advisory Group named Beth Provenzano, formerly with the National Retail Federation, as vice president of public affairs.

AEVI, a unit of Diebold Nixdorf that produces payment apps for the point of sale, said Mike Camerling, formerly director, marketplace, has succeeded Nelson Holzner as president and managing director. Holzner has left the company to pursue a new venture, AEVI says.